Car-coupling device



March 31, 1925.

G. T. JOHNSON CAR COUPLING DEVICE Filed July 8. 1924 L 5 iii...

' Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE 'IEWKSBURY JOHNSON, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUCKEYE STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING DEVICE.

Application filed July 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Coupling Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices for use during the transition period when the cars of a railroad are having the old hook couplers removed and automatic couplers substituted therefor, it being necessary at times to connect an automatic coupler with an old hook coupler.

In an application of Samuel P. Bush and Harry H. lNolfe, executed simultaneously herewith there is disclosed a transition car coupling in which lateral trunnions are provided on the sides of the lock housing of the automatic coupler and a bail, which carries the connecting coupling links, is provided with hook ends to engage the trunnions. The trunnion on the guard arm side of the coupler receives about three-fourths of the pulling strain and it was found necessary to provide a firm support for it. Such support is supplied by my present invention.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a draw head, the bail and the connecting links carried thereby being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a front elevation, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the. same.

The reference numeral 1 designates the draw-head, 2 the trunnion on the knuckle side thereof, and 3 the trunnion on the guard arm side. The trunnion 2 is free at its outer end, as shown, but the trunnion 3 has its outer end formed integral with a wall 4 which rises from and is preferably 1924. Serial No. 724,841.

integral with the guard arm 5 of the coupler. As shown clearly in Figure 3, the wall 4 is triangular in outline, and the trunnion 3 is located at the apex of the triangle, the rear edge of the wall being vertical or approximately vertical, and the wall being spaced from and parallel with the side of the lock casing of the coupler. The trunnion is thus in a very simple manner given the strength needed to prevent it from breaking or bending under the pulling strain, and it has been found possible to reduce the diameter of the trunnion thereby providing greater space for the bail so that the section of the latter may be increased.

By referring to the dotted lines in the drawing, it will be understood that the bail which is engaged with the trunnions is so formed that the connecting links are held thereby near the guard arm side of the coupler so as to clear the knuckle but the strain upon the trunnion 3 is thereby made greater than the strain upon the trunnion 2. My invention takes up the strain without substantially increasing the weight of the coupler or the cost of production.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

In a transition car coupling an automatic coupler provided with lateral trunnions on its sides to be engaged by a bail carrying a connecting coupling device, and a wall rising from the guard arm of the coupler and rigidly supporting the outer end of the trunnion on the guard arm side of the coupler.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE TEWKSBURY JOHNSON.

lVitnesses IVILLIAM JAY BENNETT, FRED VVINDON EIsELsTEIN, 

